An earlier post showed gayfeather flower spikes (Liatris punctata var. mucronata) in Leander on September 18th. A closer shot showed a little white snail on one of the flower spikes. I got even closer than that, as today’s two portraits confirm. In the one above, I took advantage of the strong shadow crossing the … … Continue reading →| Portraits of Wildflowers
Three years ago today at the I-20 Wildlife Preserve in Midland I came across a Baccharis that was new to me, Baccharis salcina. I wouldn’t have known the species but a sign conveniently identified it. And how about those wispy clouds? § We’re traveling, so you’ll understand if I’m slow to … … Continue reading →| Portraits of Wildflowers
From the September 20th visit to Convict Hill Quarry Neighborhood Park come these two portraits. The first shows Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, known by a slew of names: chile pequín, chile piquín, chile tepin, chiltepin, chile petin, bird pepper, turkey pepper, cayenne pepper. (Notice how the first five of those are phonetic variants of … … Continue reading →| Portraits of Wildflowers
The lichens were on a dead Ashe juniper tree (Juniperus ashei) at Convict Hill Quarry Park on September 20th. § We’re traveling, so you’ll understand if I’m slow to reply to your comments. © 2025 Steven Schwartzman| Portraits of Wildflowers
Behold two takes on dried out Texas thistles (Cirsium texanum)with spiderwebs on them in Cedar Park two years ago today. § We’re traveling, so you’ll understand if I’m slow to reply to your comments. © 2025 Steven Schwartzman| Portraits of Wildflowers
Like those trick drawings that a viewer can interpret in two quite different ways,today’s photograph could show waves breaking on a rough sea or wispy clouds in the sky. § We’re traveling, so you’ll understand if I’m slow to reply to your comments. © 2025 Steven Schwartzman … … Continue reading →| Portraits of Wildflowers
On September 18th close to the North Fork of the San Gabriel River east of Tejas Park in Williamson County I encountered two wildflowers I didn’t recognize. I took pictures of both and hoped for the best. Later, one turned out to be from India. I had better luck with the other, which I … … Continue reading →| Portraits of Wildflowers
On the September 20th visit to Convict Hill Quarry Neighborhood Park I did a couple of takes on giant ragweed, Ambrosia trifida. The species name trifida means ‘cleft into three,’ a reference to the plant’s three-lobed lower leaves. As you see above, one of those had turned yellow, and its two side lobes were … … Continue reading →| Portraits of Wildflowers
From September 18th at Tejas Park in Williamson County come two looks at two snapdragon vine flowers (Maurandella antirrhiniflora). The straight-on view always has me imagining a grinning mo…| Portraits of Wildflowers
From 15 years ago today comes an ant on an opening rain lily (Zephyranthes sp.). Below, from August 26th of this year, the flower-treader was a crab spider. § We’re traveling, so you’ll understand if I’m slow to reply to your comments. © 2025 Steven Schwartzman| Portraits of Wildflowers
Here’s a closer look at the showy palafoxia (Palafoxia hookeriana)we found in abundance at Bastrop State Park on September 13th. This species is conspicuously and contact…| Portraits of Wildflowers
10 posts published by Steve Schwartzman during August 2025| Portraits of Wildflowers
We drove a couple of miles east from home this morning to Schroeter Neighborhood Park to go walking. Although Austin got a bit over half an inch of rain toward the end of last week, I wasn&#…| Portraits of Wildflowers
I’m always on the lookout for combinations of native plants. Tens of thousands of possibilities exist for two species of native plants to grow in proximity, so there’s no danger …| Portraits of Wildflowers
Yesterday you saw seed heads of Clematis texensis. However, by far the most common of the three Clematis species in central Texas is Clematis drummondii. When July and August roll around, it’…| Portraits of Wildflowers
This was a good year for bluebells (Eustoma sp.), as a whopping eight posts in July confirmed. At this late date it occurred to me to show two last photographs that differ from the nineteen i…| Portraits of Wildflowers
On July 26th, six days after taking a lot of close abstract jimsonweed pictures, in a different neighbor’s front yard and with a telephoto rather than a macro lens I made this dual portrait …| Portraits of Wildflowers
A neighbor’s front yard on July 20th yielded these close abstractions of jimsonweed flowers (Datura sp.).The first one coincidentally fits the “pinwheel” theme of a recent …| Portraits of Wildflowers
Perspectives on Nature Photography| Portraits of Wildflowers
By now you’ve probably seen videos or read articles about the disastrous and deadly flooding that hit Texas along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville on July 4th. Very heavy rain caused…| Portraits of Wildflowers
